The present invention is directed to a toothbrush where the bristles are in a pattern to regulate the dose of dentifrice being used. More particularly, this invention is directed to a toothbrush having bristles of at least two colors whereby the bristles of one of the colors serve to regulate the dose of dentifrice being used.
There are instances where it is desired to limit the amount of dentifrice that is used for any one brushing. This is particularly the case with children. Children in many instances will not expel the dentifrice after brushing but rather will swallow the dentifrice. In such an instance they are ingesting amounts of fluoride and other components that preferably should not be ingested by children. The objective in the present invention is to provide a toothbrush which has a coded bristle pattern. This coded bristle pattern is such that when the coded bristle pattern is coated with a paste extruded from a standard tube or pump that a dose of about 0.1 to 0.75 grams is deposited on the bristles. The coded bristles are a guide as to how much dentifrice to use for a brushing. The coding of the brush is by having tufts of bristles of at least two different colors. The dentifrice is only placed on bristles of a particular color.
There are brushes that have a multi-color bristle pattern. However, there are no toothbrushes where the bristles are color coded so as to regulate the dose of dentifrice that is used. In various prior art toothbrushes the bristles are of different colors for decorative purposes, to serve as an indicator when the brush should be changed, or to instruct as to proper brushing techniques. U.S. Pat. No. 3,188,673 discloses a toothbrush that has different color bristles in order to instruct children the proper brushing techniques. In this patent there is shown the use of blue and white bristles or green and white bristles. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,623 the bristles appear to be of two different colors. In this instance the bristles of one color are softer than the bristles of another color. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,623 the bristles appear to be of two different colors. In this instance the bristles of one color are softer than the bristles of another color. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,255 there is shown a brush where some of the bristles have a dye that has penetrated part of the distance through the bristle. During usage this dye is gradually dissipated with the effect that when the dye is almost fully lost from the bristles that this is time to replace the brush.
These patents are illustrative of the prior art. Commercially available toothbrushes use bristles of two different colors for ornamental purposes. This is the case with versions of the Colgate Plus toothbrushes for use by persons with sensitive gums.